The Greatest Trial
by Minstrel Knight
Summary: After Harry Potter is seemingly executed, the then Minister of Magic crusades to determine the truth. The resulting posthumous retrial of Harry Potter leaves the entire Wizarding World speechless.
1. The Execution

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-1**Author's Note:** I know, another new fiction is not in order. But this is nearly a self containing short story that plagued me for a while. It's nearly complete and should be up within a few days. 

**The Greatest Trial**

**Chapter 1. The Execution**

Memories. For years that was all he had. Now even that was being snatched away from him. Harry James Potter faced execution in thirty minutes. The Dementors were ready, and so was he.

He stood with the support of two burly guards. He knew them well, Jimmy and Billy. He couldn't have made it this far on his own strength. For that he was glad in some corner of his insane mind which yet retained a modicum of sanity. Let the world see his weakness. The weakness of their savior. The weakness they themselves inflicted upon their savior. 

He raised his head. His vision was groggy, his glasses had broken long ago. Not that he cared. The sunlight was too strong for him. It burned his eyes. Years of darkness in his tiny cell had left a massive toll on him.

He sighed. He opened his mouth and the two guards shook their heads sadly. They knew what was coming. It was always the same words.

"Pettigrew, Riddle, Snape, Malfoy, Fudge, Umbridge," he recited ominously. He couldn't see clearly but he knew the effect his words would have on the spectators in that same corner of sanity that was preserved within him. He continued, "Dumbledore, Granger, Weasleys, Lupin." 

There was absolute silence. His words fell on every single ear as a proclamation of doom, a silent curse transcending far beyond eternity. There was no emotion attached to his voice, none at all. He had the voice of death. It was a pitiful sight. It was a terrible sight. 

"Prisoner 24601," a grim voice spoke resolutely. "Your sentence of fifteen years in Azkaban is now over. You await the Dementor's Kiss. Do you have any final words?"

His only response was to continue chanting. "Pettigrew, Riddle, Snape, Malfoy, Fudge, Umbridge Dumbledore, Granger, Weasleys, Lupin."

"What does he mean?" the grim man asked the two guards by the prisoner's side. "Does he wish to speak to these people?"

"Pettigrew, Riddle, Snape…" He stopped abruptly when the guard on his right let go of his hand. Unable to hold his weight, he stumbled and collapsed to the ground. "Malfoy, Fudge, Umbridge, Dumbledore…"

"Stop him," a voice yelled from the crowd. Several voices started coming from the crowd.

"Granger, Weasleys, Lupin."

The guard who had let go of his hand shook his head sadly. "That is all he has been saying for the last five years, Minister Wiltschild."

The prisoner shook his head adamantly. The guard was trying to protect him even at that final desperate moment. But being alone in Azkaban did create a bond between the guards and the prisoner they believe to be innocent. He opened his mouth but the other guard shook him. The message was clear. The guards didn't want him to speak. But the prisoner didn't care. He continued speaking.

"_The Balance._" 

He head suddenly shot up and his eyes opened, two throbbing dull emerald orbs of doom.

Goosebumps were felt by every single person who heard that final innocuous word, _Balance_. It wasn't the word itself but the way he spoke it. It was a promise of hope and retribution, of wrath and love, and above all, of himself.

"Pettigrew, Riddle…"

"Mr. Potter," the grim man spoke forcefully. "Do you wish to say something more clear?"

He nodded his head eagerly and continued, "Snape, Malfoy, Fudge." 

The Minister of Magic shook his head sadly. Another prisoner had gone insane in Azkaban. At least, they were certain of his guilt. 

"Umbridge, Dumbledore, Granger, Weasleys, Lupin."

The two guards held him up again and he felt a Silencio spell hit him. He stopped speaking. There was no reason to move his lips when nobody could hear him. The chanting went on incessant in his mind. 

"In that case, I open the floor to those who have been wronged by this criminal," the grim voice said dully. "Let Amos Diggory approach first."

"You might not have cast the Killing Curse on my son," the man said sadly on facing the prisoner. "But he would have been alive today were it not for you. You are a vile and abhorrent creature that brings death and destruction in its wake. Yet, now I can only pity you. May you find peace in the afterlife, son."

The prisoner looked up with sudden vigor and pointed his throat to the guards, and reluctantly, the silencing charm was lifted. He looked at the man who placed the guilt of his son's death on his shoulder and said simply:

"_Light._" Then he chuckled as if he had made a highly witty remark.

Shaking his head, one of the guards beckoned the bemused accuser to depart. 

"Arthur and Molly Weasley."

His all-but surrogate parents approached him haughtily and lashed out.

"After everything I did for you," the woman spoke first. Grief made her voice heavy with emotion. Grief of wounds reopened after a decade and half of festering. "I took you in, fed you, loved you like a son… and how do you repay us? By killing one of my own sons? You despicable beast! You! You!" she burst into tears hysterically and the man took her to his arms protectively. Turning to the prisoner, he said, "You disappointed us, Harry. You are a disappointment to us all," and then he led his wife away.

He didn't say anything. He raised a finger to his face, and almost as if surprised, plucked a tear from the corner of his eye. He looked at it curiously. It was highly strange and amusing. He had lost his tears years ago. What a time to regain some new ones! 

"Ron and Hermione Weasley."

His one-time best friends walked up to the podium and Ron shouted, "It wasn't enough, was it? Everything you had! The money, the fame, the friends… no, you wanted more… The biggest mistake of my life was to knock on the door of that train compartment… I wish you had died with your parents!" He tried to take a swing at him, but the guards stopped him. The prisoner smiled. The guards would take care of him, at least, until it was the Dementors' turn.

Hermione was more restrained. "I wish I understood what happened to my best friend but clearly you are not he. The Harry Potter I knew died long before you came into being. Let us go, Ron."

Before they left, he opened his mouth again and said coldly, "_Dark Brother._"

The Minister was confused. It seemed to him that the prisoner's words had some deeper meaning behind them that he should be able to fathom. It was almost as if the words were intended solely for his own sake. But then he shook his head. Clearly, Harry Potter was insane. Sighing, he proceeded on with the names.

"Ginny Weasley."

The prisoner's eyes shot up. He cursed his failed vision and sighed that he could not clearly see her beauty one last time. But then he felt a tight slap and his head went flying back, his cheek stinging terribly. Almost instantly, he felt soft lips touch the very spot that was stinging as if to will the pain away. But all he could hear were the tears of a woman in great pain as she ran away.

Shaking his head, he said dejectedly, "_Chaos._"

The Minister's eyes widened at that proclamation. With trembling hands he continued, "Severus Snape."

The dour man walked up. He didn't spend much time but he leaned forward and whispered, "Tell your father and Black, I win."

As he left, the prisoner laughed almost happily. "_Dark Sister_," he said joyfully, turning his head to the Minister almost expectantly. 

The Minister had a sudden inkling of doubt. But he saw the next name and sighed. "Albus Dumbledore!"

The ancient wizard walked to his former protégé and shook his head sadly. "Was it my fault?" The prisoner shook his head. "Could I have done something to prevent all this?" The prisoner thought for a while and beckoned his former Headmaster closer. He wanted to speak to him alone.

He waited eagerly for the long-bearded one to come within inches of his face and then with a laugh, he tugged the long overflowing beard twice, with a hoot. From the distance, he could hear the cries of the woman who had slapped him increase in volume and intensity. 

When Dumbledore walked aside, the Minister stopped him. Leaning forward, the Minister spoke to him in hurried whispers, handing the list of names to his undersecretary, yet another Weasley.

Percival took the list and shook his head at the next name, his former boss. "Cornelius Fudge."

The former Minister of Magic rose to the podium with poise and grandeur and beckoned at the prisoner. "Here you see one who thought himself above the law." Then turning to the prisoner, he spat, "Nobody is above the law! Not even the Boy Who Lived!" Bringing his attention back to the people, he started a speech on his own role at capturing the prisoner when Percy Weasley ordered some guards to forcibly remove him. 

But the prisoner merely laughed. "_Order_," he barked loudly and continued laughing. He was done, he didn't need to hear the rest. Several others came, men and women he had wronged in one way or the other. They all came to look at him one last time, to forgive him or curse him. The last one was Remus Lupin.

But before Lupin could reach the podium, the prisoner made a noise like a wounded feline and tried to pounce on the man with his fingers stretched like claws. The guards held him back. 

"James and Lily would have been so disappointed," the man said sorrowfully. 

He wasn't listening. "PETTIGREW, RIDDLE, SNAPE…" he shouted before a Silencio hit him again.

"I am almost glad that they didn't live to see the monster their little baby has become. I am glad Sirius didn't live either. I am only sorry that I did," he spat at the prisoner and walked away.

Then Percival said, "Let he who has been condemned now meet his fate. The Dementor may ascend."

A dreary solitary black cloaked figure wafted from a distant corner. It paid no heed to the shivers and shudders from the crowd. As the creature of Darkness reached the podium, the two guards retreated, removing the silencing charm from the prisoner. There was no need to restrain him anymore. He only had mere seconds to live. 

But mere seconds was all he needed. With the final breath of his life, Harry Potter stared at death calmly and said:

"_The Balance._"

"Stop!" a voice yelled but Harry's eyes covered in mist as he passed into the oblivion of a Dementor's Kiss. Prisoner 24601 had been executed. 

"Stop!" Minister Wiltschild shouted urgently as he ran towards the podium but he could only gasp in horror as the weakened form of the prisoner crumpled with a blissful expression on his face and collapsed to the ground. The Minister let out a cry of anguish and turned to Fudge. "Guards, apprehend that man!" 

Ignoring the former Minister's cries of protests, the young Minister of Magic looked at the crowd darkly. "The posthumous retrial of Harry James Potter will take place tomorrow." 

A loud din of mutterings and whispers broke out and the Minister magically amplified his voice before saying angrily, "I want every single person who bore witness in the first trial to be present in Courtroom Ten at nine in the morning."

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	2. The Crusader

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-1**Author's Note:** I admit my shamefulness in choosing 24601 as the prisoner number. I tried changing, believe me. It just kept changing back. ;p But I promise, not many links to Les Mis, except a generic Law vs. Right thing. If anything, Boston Legal's Alan Shore (James Spader) has inspired my characterization of Alan Wiltschild most.

**The Greatest Trial**

**Chapter 2. The Crusader**

Courtroom Ten was in a complete uproar the next morning. Not many supported the new Minister's sudden decision to reopen old wounds, especially one that was so sensitive to the entire country. But he was the Minister. 

Alan Wiltschild stood alone in one corner of the ominous chamber of judgment. He faced his opposition, the entirety of Magical Britain with steadfast resolve.

"By order of the Wizengamot, any trial authorized specifically from the Minister's Office cannot have the Minister himself presiding as a judge," the Minister remarked by way of greeting when all had assembled. "So I prescribe to the Wizengamot's decision in appointing the following three personalities to adjudicate the hearing - Amelia Bones, please take the first seat." He waited for the middle aged woman to take her position as the first judge. "Augusta Longbottom, please take the second seat." The old and new great-grandmother walked proudly to the front and took the offered seat. "And finally, Filius Flitwick, amongst the staff of Hogwarts gathered here, your involvement was minimal. The Wizengamot requests your presence in the judging panel. Please take the final seat."

"Minister Witschild," Madam Bones asked in exasperation when everyone had settled. "What do you seek to achieve by this? The prisoner has been tried, convicted and now executed. We have a busy season at hand and I like to stick to my schedules…"

"Of course," interrupted Wiltschild with angry sarcasm. "Why bother with justice when there is a rota system involved!"

Amelia Bones regarded the Minister with cold fury. "I understand you received your Law degree in France and America and have worked in India and New Zealand with the International Confederation, Minister, but over here in Britain, we do not take kindly to sarcasm in the courtroom. What do you propose?"

"I present myself as lawyer for the defendant," he stated calmly.

"A defendant who is dead," Augusta Longbottom added sharply, "if I may, so add."

"A defendant who should not have died today," the Minister retorted back. "A defendant who should be living happily, free from the shackles this very corrupt court bound him in. That is what I intend to prove." 

There was a resurgence of uproar in the courtroom as Flitwick banged his hammer loudly. The short man looked at the Minister curiously. "Please refrain from exchanging insults, Minister. You may proceed with your case."

"I understand the sensitive nature of this trial. No new witnesses may be introduced due to the long interval. I merely seek to reexamine the old witnesses. In keeping with the past chronological order, I call forth Rubeus Hagrid as the first witness. I have authentic copies of the court transcripts from the first trial, with Cornelius Fudge as the Prosecutor, and will repeat the questions and answers asked in the first trial, before I commence with my cross-examination."

"I see no problem with that," Amelia Bones said, "except for an unsubstantiated delay in all our schedules. But do continue."

So the Minister began reading from the transcripts. 

"It is to be noted that the Defendant is immune to Veritaserum and thus, his innocence cannot be established through it. It is my contention as Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, to show that the Defendant coldheartedly took three innocent lives on the morning of the First of January in the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The deceased, Mr. William Weasley, Mrs. Fleur Weasley and Ms. Nymphadora Tonks were in friendly terms with the Defendant and their murder shows a foul and contemptible mind at work. It is the intention of the Prosecutor to prove to the court that the Defendant attempted to rape at least one of the female deceased and in the ensuing struggle, killed all three of them.

"To continue with my case, your name and occupation?"

"Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys of the Grounds of Hogwarts, and Professor of Care of Magical Creatures."

"Where were you on the morning of the First of January, 1998?"

"I was in my lodge. It was snowing something dreadful and Fang doesn't like to be alone on stormy days."

"Fang?"

"My dog."

"Did you leave your lodge anytime in the morning?"

"Yes."

"Kindly give a more detailed explanation."

"I saw lights at the edge of the forest and was afraid some students might have wandered off. So I got meself me old bow and got going to bring them first years back."

"What did you see at the edge of the forest, Mr. Hagrid?"

"(Witness squirms uneasily) I saw several people lying on the ground. I recognized Bill and that French wife of his. Then there was little Nymphie Tonks. Both girls' clothes were torn. I rushed to them but they was all dead. Then I heard someone crying and I found Harry sitting beneath a tree, his head in his hands."

"What was the state of the Defendant when you found him, Mr. Hagrid?"

"(Witness remains silent for a minute, then breaks into tears and speaks incoherently) Harry was sobbing… he was saying…'I killed him… I killed him.'"

"Thank you, Mr. Hagrid. Your witness, Mr. Potter."

"No questions."

The Minister paused and looked at Hagrid intently. "Was it as I said?"

"Yes," the giant boomed sorrowfully. "Yes. T'was like yeh said." 

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hagrid," the Minister said kindly. "I understand this cannot be easy for you. But I have a few questions before you can leave."

"When you were in your lodge, what color lights did you see?"

Hagrid scratched his beard thoughtfully before saying, "Red, for a long time. Then there was green."

"Red, for a long time," the Minister mused thoughtfully. "That's a Stunner. All right, Mr. Hagrid. Now when you saw the three limp figures, how did you ascertain they were dead and not merely stunned?"

Frowning, Hagrid said, "They looked lifeless, if yeh know wha' I mean. They looked dead. Then when I took 'Arry to the Castle, Snape and Dumbledore went to look at the bodies. They said the three were dead."

"So, when you said you found three dead people, you merely assumed them to be dead. For all you know, they might have merely been stunned, and when you took Harry Potter to the Castle, someone else might have appeared and killed them. Isn't that a possibility, Mr. Hagrid?"

"No!" Hagrid shouted. "No!"

"Why not?"

"It… it just can'…'Arry must have killed 'em… He must have… he's been in Azkaban and he's…" he wailed woefully and blew his nose. "He must have killed them. He said he did. I sent him to Azkaban! He must've killed 'em!"

"Right. The strange words of Mr. Potter when you found him. If I'm not mistaken, you quoted him saying, 'I killed him'. Are you absolutely sure of those words?"

"Y-Y-Yes," he said, completely shaken by the possibility that Harry might have been innocent and convicted because of his testimony. "I c-can n-never forget his eyes and v-voice."

"I killed _him_… that is a strange pronoun to use for confessing a crime of three murders, including two women," he turned to the judges. "Why confess at all if you want to absolve yourself of guilt? And if you do not wish to plead innocence, then why hold back? Do you not sense some kind of complexity in this case? Do you honestly feel that the first trial determined the entire truth, and that justice has been served?"

"You have made your point, Minister," Amelia Bones said, her burrows furrowed with interest. "But you still have several more damning testimonies to come. I was one of the judges presiding the case the first time. I remember. But please continue."

Nodding, the Minister excused Hagrid and called the next witness. "Albus Dumbledore. I will first read the testimony from the previous case."

"Name and occupation?"

"Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Chief Warlock of Wizengamot and Supreme Mugwump…"

"Yes, yes, that's enough, Dumbledore. I only required the relevant occupation. Where were you on the morning of the First?"

"I was in my office, Minister Fudge, having a warm cup of coffee and reading a new muggle book, The Alchemist by Paulo…"

"(Interrupts) Right. What part of the ground does your office window oversee?"

"I see the direct route from Hagrid's hut to the Main Entrance of the Castle."

"Describe the events of that morning."

"I saw Hagrid rushing towards the Castle with a highly distraught Harry Potter. I went as fast as I could to join them. Hagrid told me that people had been killed at the edge of the forest. Seeing Severus Snape in the Great Hall, I asked him to join me in corroborating Hagrid's story."

"What did you find?"

"I found three dead young people, none of which were current students, but all three I knew quite well personally."

"William Weasley, Fleur Weasley and Nymphadora Tonks?"

"Yes."

"And they were definitely dead?"

"Yes."

"What did you do after that?"

"I returned to the Castle. Harry Potter was continuously claiming that he killed them. I asked Severus to call the Aurors and I went to notify the family members of the deceased."

"You performed admirably, Headmaster. Thank you. That is all."

The new Minister of Magic paused and looking at Fudge, shook his head in disgust.

"Albus Dumbledore, how long have you been in Hogwarts as a staff member?"

The Headmaster smiled weakly. "Since long before you were born, Minister, of that I'm sure. It's been over sixty years."

"Then you should know that your first responsibility is always to your students? Yes. Good. Then tell me. You notified the Aurors and the family of the deceased… very good… what did you do about Harry Potter's distressed state?"

"What do you mean?"

"For all you know, he could have been a victim of some attack that he survived and the others didn't. For all you know he might have killed in self-defense. What did you do to ensure Harry Potter's emotional needs were taken care of? That Harry Potter's story was revealed?"

"It wasn't necessary. All he would say was, 'I killed him.' His admission of guilt left me with no alternative. As you say, I had a responsibility to ensure the safety of the rest of the school. Harry Potter was guilty. It pained me more than you can imagine," he paused to rub his eyes. All those present saw that Harry's betrayal still hurt the old man. "He was like a grandson to me. But evidence was plain in sight… as well as his own confession. I had no choice. Once he ventured down that path, I could protect him no more."

"Ah, the confession," the Minister said. "There seems to be a slight discrepancy in the pronoun ascribed to your testimony in the first trial and that of Hagrid's. Do you wish to clarify… was it 'I killed him' or 'I killed them'?

"I killed _him_," Dumbledore said with a thoughtful frown.

"Is it true that all three victim were part of your little vigilante group?" the Minister asked.

"Objection. Immaterial and irrelevant," Dumbledore said calmly, facing the judges. 

The Minister interrupted the judges before they could rule. "I intend to tie it up within the next few questions. It goes to show motive for the murders."

Amelia Bones and Augusta Longbottom looked unsure but Flitwick banged his hammer. "Overruled. Let there be justice today! The witness will answer the question."

Sighing, Dumbledore said, "Yes. All three were members of the Order of the Phoenix."

"So their murderer would likely be an enemy of your Order?"

"I would assume so."

The Minister looked intently at the Headmaster and asked seriously, "Was Harry Potter an enemy of the Order of the Phoenix?"

"I would assume so, based on the fact that he killed…"

The Minister interrupted. "Do not assume. Was Harry Potter an enemy of the Order of the Phoenix, to your best knowledge, on the day of the murder?"

After several second's silence, Dumbledore shook his head. "No."

"And yet you assumed everything you believed to be false based on flimsy circumstantial evidence, Headmaster?"

"There was also the matter of his own confession," Dumbledore returned back.

"Ah yes, once again the confession," the Minister said musingly. "But I'll keep that for later. Just a few questions more, Headmaster, do you think that Harry Potter killed the deceased?"

"I do."

Shaking his head, the Minister asked his next question, "Do you know, for a certainty, that Harry Potter killed the deceased?"

"No, not to a certainty, but to a high probability."

The Minister nodded thoughtfully. It wasn't much, but he had to begin somewhere. "Can you tell us roughly how long it took between you seeing Hagrid approach the Castle and your reaching the bodies in the Forest?"

Dumbledore pondered silently for quite a while and then said, "Not to an absolute certainty, I'm afraid I can't. But between ten to twenty minutes."

"Ten to twenty minutes!" the Minister repeated with an extravagant emphasis while gesturing Dumbledore to leave. "Ten to twenty minutes! Imagine you are a person with a strong reason to despise Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix. Someone clearly unlike Harry Potter, to the best of the witness's knowledge, and you stumble upon three stunned members of the Order. You then flick your wand and say Avada Kedavra, Avada Kedavra, Avada Kedavra, and then you walk away. Ten to twenty minutes!"

"Minister Wiltschild," Augusta Longbottom began politely but with a hint of patronizing humor, "You are searching for complexities when there exist none. But do proceed with your case."

"Very well," the Minister said in annoyance. "I call forth Miss Hermione Granger now Weasley. Please take the stand. For the remainder of this trial session, you will be referred to as Miss Granger. This is to avoid any confusion between the old and current court transcripts. Is there any objection?"

Hermione shook her head and gazed at the Minister in complete bafflement. Much of what he had argued so far made complete sense to her. How could she have not seen all that earlier? Was there a possibility that Harry was innocent… no, Hagrid was right… Harry must have killed them. She fixed her attention back to the Minister as he recited the past transcript. She remembered every single word.

"Name and occupation."

"Hermione Jane Granger, Sixth Year student in Hogwarts."

"Relation to Defendant?"

"Friends since our First Year."

"Relation to any of the deceased?"

"Ron Weasley is my boyfriend. Bill was his brother and Fleur is… was Bill's wife. Tonks was a good friend too."

"When was the last time you saw the Defendant before he was taken into custody?"

"At breakfast. We had an argument and he left the Castle."

"Who were involved in the argument?"

"Harry, Ron, Ginny and I."

"Ron and Ginny being?"

"Ronald Weasley, my boyfriend, and his sister Ginny Weasley, Harry's girlfriend."

"What was the nature of the argument?"

"Fleur Weasley."

"Surely you can give a more detailed response than that, Miss Granger?"

"Ginny was complaining about how annoying Fleur was. Ron had a crush on her and defended her. I took Ginny's side. We all asked Harry for his views and he snapped at us. He said Ginny was being childish about Fleur, as she was fast becoming Bill's foremost priority instead of his baby sister. That Ron was just affected by her Veela charm, and I was trying to get back at Ron by supporting Ginny, and while doing all this, we ignored the feelings of Fleur completely. He said that she had overheard Ginny and her mother complain about her once and had stayed up all night crying."

"How would Harry Potter know if Mrs. Fleur Weasley had stayed up all night?"

"Harry has a sleeping problem. He goes down to the living room when that happens as Ron snores loudly. He might have seen Fleur then."

"So Mr. Potter and Mrs. Fleur Weasley had a habit of spending late nights together?"

"You are taking my words out of context, Minister Fudge."

"But that is the impression one gets. What about Harry Potter? How has his mood been lately?"

"He has been aggressive and volatile. He has attacked a few students unprovoked."

"Physically?"

"(Witness remains silent for over two minutes)."

"You are under oath, Miss Granger."

"He cast a highly dangerous curse on Draco Malfoy."

"What curse?"

"Sectumsempra."

"Ah, a very popular curse used by Death Eaters during the War. Do you think him capable of murder, Miss Granger?"

"I… the Harry Potter I knew would never kill anyone! He wouldn't even hurt a fly!"

"Is the person whom you've been seeing for the past few months the Harry Potter you knew, Miss Granger?"

"(Witness remains silent for a minute) No, he has changed."

"Do you think the Defendant is capable of murder, Miss Granger?"

"(Witness starts crying) I don't know… I just don't know."

"That is all."

Minister Wiltschild waited patiently for the witness to wipe her eyes. Hermione had started weeping once again.

"Are you ready, Ms. Granger?"

"Yes, Minister."

"Your answers were misconstrued to indicate that Harry Potter lusted after his girlfriend's sister-in-law. Do you wish to clear your stance?"

"I do," Hermione said. "Harry, as a person, was very caring. He took other people's hurt to heart and that is what happened with Fleur. He saw her crying, felt bad, and lashed out on us for being immature."

"You say Harry was a caring person… but you also speak of Harry Potter as a raging maniac who wouldn't hesitate before inflicting dangerous curses on his schoolmates. Which Harry Potter are you speaking of now?"

Hermione's shoulders sagged. "Both. He was always caring. Later, he… he discovered some things about his supposed role in the war against You Know Who and that affected him a bit. But he was always a decent human being."

"And yet you claimed only yesterday at his execution that the Harry Potter you knew had died long ago," the Minister eyed Hermione with a frown. "You should make up your mind, Miss Granger."

His words made Hermione burst into tears again. "I shouldn't have said that! I had… I had forgotten how… how noble he was when I saw him… standing with the guards… I only saw a prisoner… the dead bodies of… it is only today… this trial… I realize… he wouldn't have hurt a fly! He couldn't have hurt a fly! He's innocent!"

"A bit late, isn't it?" the Minister said scathingly. Then he shook his head when the woman's sobs intensified. "Forgive me. That was uncalled for. I have one last question. Please listen carefully, this is very important." He waited for Hermione to calm down and then said, "Did Harry Potter ever use those words 'I killed him' or 'his death is my fault' before… without actually killing anyone? It could have been an accident, a misconception, a dream, anything. Did he ever use those words before?"

Hermione's eyes widened and she brought her hand to her mouth. "Merlin! How could we have been so blind!" She got up from her seat and looked around from Dumbledore to the rest of the Weasleys. "Cedric… Sirius… he always blamed himself for them… he always blamed himself for everything that went wrong…"

Hermione's words created a new round of ruckus but this time it was staggering in magnitude. The seeds of doubt were sown. Every single person was horrified. 

"Order!" Flitwick shouted. "Order! This court will take a recess for lunch. We will reconvene at Three."

-------

Minister Wiltschild left the courtroom without so much as a second glance towards anyone, despite several attempts by Dumbledore and the Weasleys to accost him. He brushed them aside indifferently. In his early thirties, he was the youngest Minister of Magic, leading his people in the war against Voldemort that had stretched for so long. 

He knew it was the inability of his predecessors to end the war that made the public turn to a new and revolutionary leader such as himself. And he had no doubt that his current undertaking had probably cost him his political career. But he had no choice but to defend the convict. He had no choice merely because Dumbledore had no choice but to blame an innocent.

But most importantly, he had understood Harry Potter's half-crazed words under his state of delusion. It was a desperate plea for justice from one caught between several extremes. Harry Potter was innocent. The Minister knew that in his heart, the difficult task was to prove it in court. The morning session had gone much better than he could have hoped for. The seeds of doubt were sown and at least a few people would pursue the case with an honest desire to discover the truth. But by morning, the media would have destroyed every single inroad he created. The people just didn't want Harry Potter to be innocent. They just didn't want to be guilty of such a horrendous exploitation of their savior.

The most difficult task, however, would be to convince the court to believe that it had made such a grave error, an error the likes of which would leave the entire nation, and perhaps the world, staggered. Harry Potter was a beacon of hope. His mistreatment would not go down well. History would judge those who hurt him with much contempt. 

And if he failed, it would be Minister of Magic Alan Wiltschild who would face that very contempt. 

"Why are you doing this?" 

Wiltschild raised his head over his desk and saw his Undersecretary face him in confusion. He couldn't suppress a smile. The usually calm and stoic Percival Weasley had finally broken his mask of impassivity. The Minister shook his head.

"Tell me, Percy," Wiltschild said kindly. "You knew him personally. Would you consider Harry Potter capable of murder?"

Percy frowned and said, "You are forgetting, Minister, that many people who commit murder wouldn't usually be capable of it under other circumstances. Who can tell what happened to Harry Potter? The boy must have broken down under all the stress finally."

"What stress?" the Minister asked suddenly. On Percy's continual silence, he repeated, "What stress, Percy? If you know anything that might have a bearing to the case, tell me."

Sighing, Percy sat down. "You will regret making me reveal this, Minister. It will only add credibility to why Harry Potter could have cracked up like he did. To answer your first question, no, I did not consider Harry Potter capable of murder. But I truly believe he did commit it. He finally broke under all the pressure."

"What pressure, Percy?"

Giving a sudden ironic laugh, Percy said, "Where to begin… a mind link with You Know Who, Umbridge's torture, Fudge's moronic attitude, Dumbledore's lack of faith, Snape's Legilimency attack, a kill-or-be-killed Prophecy with You Know Who… that is all I can think of from the top of my mind. Minister, if any person ever had cause to break down and become insane, it was Harry Potter. I am ashamed to admit my ambition perhaps contributed to it."

Nodding, the Minister said, "True. I have read the detailed analysis by several people on his case. Tell me, Percy, about your sister and her reaction to Harry Potter's supposed crime."

"She was devastated. Until the end of the trial, she didn't believe Harry to be capable of murder. Then when Harry himself came to the stand… she was crushed. She stopped speaking to everyone for more than a month. For a year, she was a hollow shell. Then she visited Harry. I don't know what happened but since then she began to move on. She started seeing other boys, but never the same one for too long."

"She hasn't married yet," the Minister observed.

Percy sighed. "She married once. Neville Longbottom. It only lasted a week. Apparently, she was still in love with Harry despite everything. She still is."

The Minister absorbed the information in silence. Shaking his head, he said, "There has to be someone. At least one person, who believed in his innocence." When Percy didn't respond to his despairing comment, the Minister shot his head up. "Percy?"

"There was someone, Minister. She…"

"Minister," a voice called out from outside, interrupting Percy. "Five minutes to session."

\/p> 


	3. The Seeker of Truth

**The Greatest Trial**

**Chapter 3. Seeker of Truth**

The courtroom was bustling with whispers from all corners. The news had spread like wildfire. The retrial of Harry Potter had brought several new complexities into the picture. The crowd had nearly tripled in size since the morning. Newspaper reporters and common folk who had no bearing to the case whatsoever had filled up the courtroom to its brink. 

Shaking his head, the Minister faced the judges. Amelia Bones and Augusta Longbottom were waiting in silence for silence to reign of its own accord. They were experienced and knew it better to get the people to exhaust themselves early, rather than have them restless all through the proceedings. Flitwick, however, was a teacher, not a judge. 

"Order!" he yelled. "I will have Order in my courtroom! Cease this irksome whisperings!"

As the court slowly moved to silence, the Minister got up and said, "Ronald Weasley, please take the witness stand."

"As in the morning, you will wait until I finish reading from the record. I will then ask you some questions which you will answer to the best of your ability."

"Name and occupation?"

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, Sixth Year student in Hogwarts."

"Relation to the Defendant?"

"I thought Potter was my best friend but then he killed my brother."

"Do you concur with the statement of Miss Granger as to the events of the morning of the First?"

"Yes. What she didn't add was Potter's threat."

"Threat? What threat was this, Mr. Weasley?"

"Harry warned us to be nice to Fleur or stay away from her in the future."

"Was it in the nature or Harry Potter to make such threats?"

"No."

"So what possible reason could he have to make such a threat?"

"He wanted Fleur for himself."

"Why do you say that, Mr. Weasley?"

"Fleur's a Veela. Everybody wants her. Potter wanted her. Simple as that. But she was with Bill. So he had to off Bill first."

"You seem to be more certain of the Defendant's guilt than Miss Weasley."

"It wasn't her brother who died, was it! Potter killed Bill! He admitted it himself! He should be sent to Azkaban for life! He should receive the Kiss! (Witness is hysterical)."

"Thank you, Mr. Weasley."

Minister Wiltschild sighed. He knew Ron Weasley well. He was a good and dependable Auror, but obstinate in his beliefs. He approached the witness and said, "Your accusations towards the Defendant were more out of grief and emotional turmoil than anything else, wouldn't you agree, Mr. Weasley?"

"Of course I was in emotional turmoil," Ron snapped. "He had killed my brother."

"Please answer my question, Mr. Weasley," the Minister snapped back. "When you accused Harry Potter of killing your brother, did you have any definite and substantial evidence except for the firmness of your own belief?"

"Hagrid was an eyewitness."

The Minister refrained from throwing his hands up in despair. "Hagrid merely saw lights and walked to the crime scene where he saw Mr. Potter and three limp bodies. That is not sufficient evidence."

Blinking, the witness hissed, "Potter's confession. What more do you need?"

"The confession, yet again," the Minister sighed, troubled. "Your wife seemed to be in doubt about the veracity of the confession."

"That's because she just saw him die," Ron said angrily. "Of course she wants to believe him incapable of murder. She's a gentle and delicate person. But I know what he said, the way he said. He did it."

"You were best friends, weren't you, Mr. Weasley?"

"I thought we were."

"No, you weren't!" the Minister said sharply. "You never were! When your so-called best friend was accused of murder, you were one of his accusers! You didn't stand behind him! You had no faith in the nature of your friend or in your friendship. Tell me, Mr. Weasley, were you jealous of Harry Potter?"

Ron banged his wrists on the armrest and snapped, "Rubbish! Why would I be jealous of a murdering scum like him?"

"Fourth Year, Triwizard Tournament. Does that ring a bell?"

Ron visibly shook in fury. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I was an immature kid then. I grew up."

"Were you jealous that Mrs. Fleur Weasley gave more attention to Mr. Potter than to you?"

"Preposterous!" Ron barked angrily. "You are defaming my good name, Minister!"

"We are in a court of law, trying a murder case, and you are under oath. Answer truthfully or I shall request a Veritaserum hearing from you. Were you jealous of Harry Potter's developing friendship with Fleur Weasley?"

"A bit," he said after a long time. "A bit. He always got the best deal of everything. It wasn't right. But he wasn't happy with all that! He killed her! He killed Bill!"

The Minister waited as the witness composed himself. "Your certainty of Harry Potter's guilt must mean you have formed your own opinion of his motives. Tell me, Mr. Weasley, why do you think the Defendant committed these murders?"

"It's obvious, isn't it? He wanted Fleur. He tried to take her. Then Bill came in and he killed Bill. Then he killed Fleur because she had seen him."

"What about Ms. Tonks?"

"Perhaps Tonks also saw him. He would have to kill her too, to avoid suspicion."

"So after killing Mr. Weasley, he killed Mrs. Weasley and Ms. Tonks because they were witnesses, and then he remains in the murder scene long enough for Hagrid to find him, sobbing 'I killed him… I killed him'. Why do you think he would show remorse towards his murder of Mr. Weasley if it was Mrs. Weasley whom he cared for more?"

"Perhaps because he killed Bill first! How would I know how his mind works!"

"And yet you claim to read the motives and actions leading to the murder of three people the Defendant counted as friends, in a manner completely contradictory to his nature?"

"That was obvious."

The Minister paced for a few moments in silence and then asked, "By your theory, the Defendant should then have tried to kill Hagrid as well. Why didn't he?"

"How do I know?" snapped Ron angrily. "Perhaps he had come to his senses by then. Perhaps he was remorseful."

"Tell me, Mr. Weasley, did you or are you aware of anyone else, during the course of the investigation, even consider any other person to have committed those murders?"

"There was no need. Dumbledore believed it. Hagrid was Potter's first friend in the Wizarding World. He loved Potter and Potter betrayed us all. Bill loved him as a brother and he killed Bill. Harry killed Bill! Simple as that!"

"That is all," the Minister said in a troubled expression and turned angrily to the court. "You accuse me of searching for complexities! And yet you had no words for the investigators of this case who were unable to look beyond the title of Harry Potter to dig a bit deeper for the truth! I have seen the newspaper articles! The media portrayed Harry Potter as an evil maniac the likes of which had never appeared on this earth! He was sixteen years old, for Heaven's Sake! Sixteen! Vilified by the media for the sole purpose of romanticizing!" 

"Complexities!" he hissed sharply before the judged could respond. "Isn't the fact that there are complexities enough by itself? Tell me, Madam Bones, when did our legal system become so skewed that an accused was required to prove his innocence? Isn't the burden of proof solely on the Prosecutors? And by showing complexities, by showing alternative interpretations for the circumstantial evidences that sent Mr. Potter to the gallows, I have already broken the justification of a conviction! I have shown cause for reasonable doubt!"

Amelia Bones banged her hammer forcefully. "You will refrain from attacking this court, Minister. The authority of the Minister's Office has been reduced in recent years. You will show the proper respect that is due to this bench."

"I apologize for my outburst," the Minister said icily but continued glaring at the woman.

"I commend your passion for justice and truth, Alan Wiltschild," Amelia Bones continued. "But you still have more damning pieces of evidence to cover. Please continue."

The Minister nodded hesitatingly. The next few minutes could break his case utterly. "I call forth Remus Lupin to the stand."

"Name and occupation?"

"Remus John Lupin, unemployed."

"You relation to the Defendant?"

"His father was my best friend. I have treated him as a well-loved nephew since I've known him."

"Relation to the deceased?"

"Bill and Fleur were good friends. Nymphadora… Nymphadora and I were planning to get married."

"Where were you on the First?"

"I was patrolling in Hogsmeade."

"Why? You said you were unemployed?"

"The Headmaster requested my presence due to some security threats. A dangerous criminal, Peter Pettigrew, had been sighted in Hogsmeade and the Headmaster had asked both me and Nymphadora Tonks to add to the security of the school. She was near the Forbidden Forest and I was in Hogsmeade."

"Isn't Peter Pettigrew dead?"

"No. He framed Sirius Black and is alive."

"The Ministry is willing to stipulate to the veracity of Mr. Lupin's statement. Tell us what you saw while patrolling."

"Both me and Nymphadora Tonks have… had… a two-way mirror which was continually activated in case we needed instant aid. She heard a disturbance in the distance and rushed to see what was wrong. I heard voices as she approached the trouble site. The Defendant and Bill Weasley were the speakers. (Witness is silent for a minute). Bill's voice was forlorn and devoid of all hope. He was saying, 'Why, Harry?' and the Defendant said, 'You gave me no choice. I'm sorry it has come to this, Bill.' Then Bill said in an almost hopeless tone, 'Take care of Fleur, will you?' and the Defendant said, 'She is no longer your concern.' That was when Tonks screamed and charged in, the mirror broke, and I do not know what else happened. I went to the Castle as fast as possible but I was too late. They had apprehended the Defendant, though."

"Do you think the Defendant killed Bill Weasley?"

"Yes."

"Do you think the Defendant killed Nymphadora Tonks?"

"Yes. (Defendant cries in anguish, is silenced)."

"Do you think the Defendant killed Fleur Weasley?"

"Yes."

"That is all. Thank you, Mr. Lupin. Your witness, Mr. Potter. I said your witness Mr. Potter. (Witness makes no attempt to speak)."

The Minister paused for a full two minutes before an annoyed clicking noise from Augusta Longbottom shook him from his reverie.

"Did Ms. Tonks say anything to you about the situation she was facing or did you see what was going on? Did you get a glimpse of the scene from the mirror? Did you know anything about what was going on apart from those few words you heard?"

"No."

"Do you know, for a certainty, that there was nobody else there?"

"No."

"Do you know, for a certainty, that it was Mr. Potter who killed Bill?"

"You heard their exchange. Who else could it have been?"

"Answer the question. Do you know, _for a certainty_, that the Defendant killed the deceased?"

"It is the most rational explanation. It is my strong belief. I didn't hear the actual words or see the actual act take place. But I think he killed him."

"Do you know, for a certainty, that the Defendant killed the deceased William Weasley?"

"No. Not to a certainty."

"Do you know, for a certainty, that the Defendant killed any of the deceased?"

"No. Not to a certainty."

The Minister rounded on the man angrily. "And yet, without knowing, for a certainty, you seemed more than eager to condemn someone you claim to love as a nephew as a murder? You believed him capable of acting contrary to his very nature. Tell me why, Mr. Lupin."

"I'm afraid I cannot answer that question."

"What exact question are you referring to?"

"That how Harry Potter could act contrary to his nature."

"Do you know who could answer that question?"

"Albus Dumbledore."

"Tell me, Mr. Lupin, why do you think Albus Dumbledore believes Harry Potter was able to act contrary to his nature," the Minister reframed his question.

"Dumbledore believes that You Know Who was able to possess Harry Potter through their scar connection. For that connection to have strengthened would imply that the Defendant was no longer Harry Potter, but an extension of You Know Who. That's why he had to dealt with swiftly."

The Minister stared at the witness in disbelief and shook his head. He turned from Lupin to the judges, who seemed to absorb the testimony with nodding heads. Then he turned to the audience and laughed. "Do you people always allow the Headmaster to do the thinking for you?" he asked mockingly.

"MINISTER WILTSCHILD!" Amelia Bones thundered. "You will maintain proper decorum in my courtroom or I will personally order a Vote of No-Confidence against your government!"

"With all due _respect_, Madam Bones," the Minister retorted in equal rage. "As of this moment, I resign from my office. I will not allow myself to be linked to this repugnant and revoltingly corrupt society and Ministry any longer. Following the conclusion of this case, I shall return to my home in France." Ignoring the sudden rise of loud mutterings and shocked faces, he continued as if nothing shattering had just happened, "A sixteen year old, Mr. Lupin, who probably saw you as a father figure!"

"Harry Potter no longer existed. He was a minion of Voldemort."

The Former Minister of Magic shook his head in disgust and said, "Please leave. I request Albus Dumbledore to retake the stand."

"Professor Dumbledore, can you elaborate further on what Mr. Lupin has said?"

Sighing, the Headmaster said, "You are hurting our war efforts, Alan, with this mockery of a trial. But as your intentions are noble, I shall indulge you. Since the very beginning I had suspected the scar on Harry Potter's forehead to be something much more sinister. When Voldemort," he paused for everyone to flinch at the name and was surprised when Wiltschild stood resolutely facing him. "When Voldemort tried to cast the Killing Curse on Harry Potter that rebounded, it is my belief that he unwittingly created a Horcrux out of the poor boy. Do you understand now my fears regarding Harry Potter? I tried so hard to keep him safe and away from influences that would make him desire power." 

"I regret all that I had to do. I placed him in a less than ideal family conditions, subjected him to much bias during his school years, and perhaps that was what kept him sane for so long. But when he admitted to killing… I knew I had lost him… I saw in him Voldemort when he stood before me as a sixteen year old, who had already created one Horcrux. Tell me, Minister, do you still believe that sixteen year olds are incapable of murder?"

"An interesting diatribe, Headmaster. But did you know, for a certainty, that the Defendant was being possessed by Riddle?"

"No, not to a certainty."

"Tell me Headmaster, did you know, for a certainty, that the Defendant killed the three deceased?"

"My child," the Headmaster said with a sad smile. "When you reach my age you realize that not many things can be known to an absolute certainty. We must act as best as we can given the information available to us."

"Tell me then, Headmaster. Is it acceptable to sentence a mere child to Azkaban and the Dementor's Kiss based on such uncertain information?"

"I am the wrong person to ask that question, Alan," the Headmaster shook his head. "I wasn't the judge. I am merely the Headmaster of my school."

"And yet it was your condemnation of Harry Potter that made everyone turn a blind eye to every other possibility. It was your lack of treating him as your student that portrayed him as a criminal to the world. It was your belief in his guilt that formed the backbone of the entire case against him. It was your merciless judgment that Harry Potter would walk the same path as Voldemort that was the cause of every single hurt that boy faced. Why did you choose to not believe in him as you once did? I have seen the articles from Harry Potter's Fourth and Fifth Years in Hogwarts. Why did you choose to condemn him, Headmaster?"

Blinking back tears, the Headmaster removed his glasses and wiped his eyes. "I believed Harry Potter would turn. I believed Harry Potter would join Voldemort, not willingly, no… but he would have no choice. All that was good in the boy would be trapped within his own mind, his darker side coming to the forefront. I was afraid the world would face an evil that could surpass even Voldemort. I couldn't sit back and allow that to happen… not a second time."

"A sixteen year old, Dumbledore," Alan Wiltschild said sadly. "A sixteen year old thrown violently into the world of adults since he was but a toddler. Why did he not deserve the benefit of doubt, when you would so willingly afford it to known Death Eaters such as Snape?"

"I trust Severus Snape," the Headmaster said firmly.

Wiltschild smiled ruefully. "Which is the pity, since you didn't trust Harry Potter. Please leave before I lose my temper on someone highly venerated by this country."

Dumbledore got up but hesitating, he said, "I applaud you for your crusade to prove the innocence of one I once dearly cared about, though I fear you will end up sorely disappointed. But if I may ask, why? Why, Alan? Why are you so convinced of Harry Potter's innocence?"

Wiltschild looked at the old man in the eye, and he knew that every single person in the courtroom was waiting for his answer with their breaths on hold. This, he knew, would make the headlines and not anything else. Not his resignation, not all the new angles he brought to the case. He smiled ironically. 

"I cannot answer that, not to a certainty. Please leave."

"Court is adjourned for today. Mr. Wiltschild has shown enough complexities in the case for me to refrain from dismissing it straight away, as I had originally intended to." Amelia Bones turned to the other judges and they conferred in silence. "The court will reconvene tomorrow morning at nine."

-------

Alan Wiltschild walked away from the reporters, ignoring the hoard of questions being thrown his way. He didn't wish to return to the Minister's Quarters where he was staying and instead, walked to the Leaky Cauldron and took a room for the night.

It had been a busy evening for him. He had visited Azkaban, searched Harry Potter's cell thoroughly to see if he had left any indication of his innocence. But all his efforts were futile. He had even thoroughly questioned the guards who had also seemed convinced of Harry's innocence, but to no avail. Dejected, he returned.

Quietly in a private booth in the Leaky Cauldron, he was eating a dinner by himself when someone joined him. Angrily, he looked up to face an avid reporter or an angry citizen, but no words left his throat at the sight that he beheld. A striking redhead, more attractive than any woman he had seen since the death of his wife, had walked in, teary-eyed, and silently begging to be allowed to stay. It was Ginny Weasley.

Shaking his head, he beckoned her to take a seat and continued eating his stew. "I would offer to buy you dinner but I was nearly finished, and am looking forward to an early night before court," he said, clearly indicating he hadn't much time. "How may I help you?"

"I… I," she stammered and shook her head. "I… I want to help you prove Harry's innocence."

Wiltschild laughed sardonically. "The time for you to have helped was in the past, Ms. Weasley. What can you do now that you couldn't do then?"

Sobbing sorrowfully, she said, "I don't know… I want to help."

"Why? You indicated clearly at his execution that you didn't believe his innocence," he said sharply.

"I… I don't care," she said. "I don't care if he killed Bill… or raped anyone… I don't care… I want to do what I can."

Wiltschild got up and patted the girl's back gently. Leaning forward, he said, "You do not believe him to be innocent. You merely wish to clear his name because you love him. But Ms. Weasley," he leaned closer and whispered quietly. "Sometimes love isn't enough. Trust and belief, they are as important, Ms. Weasley. I'm sorry I do not want your help."

"Please," she begged desperately, grabbing his hand tightly. "Please. I wont be able to live with myself if I just stand back and do nothing… I… I want to help… please." She lowered her head on his hand and started crying disconsolately.

Sighing, the man draped his arm around her and said, "I admire the depth of your love. But," he said with another sigh, "There is only one way you can help me."

The redhead shot her head up. "How?"

"By not bothering me tonight," he said softly, though the words were harsh. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry. I know you suffer but there is nothing you can do to help me. This case is a lost hope."

Leaving Ginny, he walked to the counter to pay Neville Longbottom, the new Innkeeper with his wife Hannah, for the food but was surprised when the plump man handed him a package.

"It came for you by OWL post, Minister, I mean, Mr. Wiltschild," he said hurriedly. "I was about to send it to your room but seeing as you were here, I kept it by my side. I thought it might be… valuable… for tomorrow."

Wiltschild smiled at the man's thoughtfulness and said, "Thank you, Neville. You did well. And it's Alan."

"Good luck, Alan," Neville said with vigor. "I believe in Harry Potter. I always did. I hope you prove his innocence."

Alan Wiltschild walked up to his room and opened the door when he heard footsteps behind him. Turning, he saw Ginny Weasley come behind him with a determined look in her face, and he knew what she actually needed. She didn't want to be alone that night.

\/p


	4. The Verdict

**Author's Note:** To answer a few questions. This is the last chapter, definitely, for The Greatest Trial. Little is mentioned about Voldemort, the war, and retribution and reactions of others. Trust me, I have a proper scenario weaving together in my head as to what's happening outside the courtroom, but I am not sure if it will be well received by people. That, and I have a few other alternative ideas which would make a great continuation too. I don't usually plan my stories in such a haphazard manner, but I honestly didn't even intend to come so far with this story. It literally wrote itself under coffee-induced sleeplessness.

So my intention is to continue the tale, from after the court's decision, in a different story. That way, if the continuation doesn't come out as nicely as I want it to, The Greatest Trial, which I like, will still be a stand-alone decent work.

Just to add, Amelia Bones isn't a bad person. She just fits the characterization of judges from Boston Legal (Judge Sanders and Judge Brown). 

Yes, Alan slept with Ginny. Some of my readers might have a problem with that and I don't understand why. Even the most diehard HarryGinny shippers must admit that for a 15 year old girl to remain celibate until the age of 30 as her ex-boyfriend languishes in prison and is executed, isn't perhaps very reasonable. And though I cannot stand the thought of ayounger Ginny being physicalwith any other guy, an older Ginny with someone crusading for Harry Potter like Alan, doesn't really bother me at all.

I have tried not to depict any of - Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Dumbledore, Lupin as evil… no, they all had reasons to say what they did, which was intensified by their own characteristic weaknesses (Ron - jealousy, obstinacy, narrow-mindedness; Dumbledore - belief in self-omniscience; Hagrid and Lupin - belief in Dumbledore's omniscience). Lupin also lost his fiancée, not that he was justified in treating Harry like he did, but makes it a bit more understanding. Ginny just lost her favorite brother whom she had loved much longer than Harry who claimed to have killed him. 

Anyway, this has to be the longest Author's Note I've ever written. Promise to keep it shorter in the future. 

**The Greatest Trial**

**Chapter 4. The Verdict**

Alan Witschild stood in that fateful courtroom long before anyone else arrived. By his side was the same package that had arrived for him in the inn. He was preparing himself for the final showdown. Only one witness remained and his closing argument, and then the matter would be up for judgment before the panel. 

He shook his head sadly. Harry Potter was innocent, that he now knew without any doubt. But there was no way to prove it. The poor boy would face condemnation by the same court for the second time despite being innocent. Not even in death was Harry Potter allowed to rest in peace, but that was his, Alan Wiltschild's fault. History would forever remember him as the gadfly that stung Wizarding Britain, that roused the fading embers of an innocent boy's insane cries and fueled them with his own convictions, to create an inferno that might one day consume civilization as they knew it. Fate had given him not the means to win his case in the court of law, but in the court of History. And he would make full use of that small respite.

But more than anything else, he owed it to himself. With all his values and ideals, Alan Witschild would give up everything he had, to remain true to himself. Even then, he was resigned to fate. He knew the testimony that was to come. The absolute damning bit of it was there was no means of cross-examination, for the witness was Harry Potter himself, recently executed.

Slowly, the crowd grew in size and Alan Wiltschild felt a deepening sense of trepidation rise within him. He watched the ominous glare sent towards him by nearly every single person gathered there. It was obvious that they too recalled the final witness and his testimony. Alan Witschild waited.

"This court is now in session," Amelia Bones ordered. "You may proceed, Mr. Wiltschild. As there is but one witness left from the original trial, I would appreciate if all this is completed before lunch."

"Is the Defense allowed to introduce new witnesses?" he asked but knew the answer quite well.

"No," boomed the voice of Amelia Bones. "You are making a mockery of our legal system, Mr. Wiltschild, with your tomfoolery. Your entire basis for retrial was the lack of a lawyer for the Defense, not the introduction of new evidence. We will have this done now as it was done the first time."

Wiltschild laughed. "Well done," he said loudly, clapping his hands. "Well done, Madam Bones. Today you have achieved what Fudge, Umbridge and Scrimgeour had started years ago. Well done!" 

Then seeing the speechless fury of the three judges, he raised his head defiantly and continued, "Today we stand at the funeral of justice, killed by the self-importance that the Ministry places for its own image. Well done, Madam Bones! Well done, Madam Longbottom." He started clapping mockingly, ignoring the sharp intake of breath taken by both ladies. Ignoring their fury, he said, "I ask one last time. Will you permit the Defense to introduce new witnesses?" He turned to Flitwick, who looked troubled, and was about to open his mouth when Amelia Bones struck her hammer down.

"The court has ordered, Mr. Wiltschild," she shouted. "Cease this ridiculous attitude, and continue."

"Before I proceed," Wiltschild said with polite formality, "I want the scribe to put into record that the posthumous trial of the defendant, Harry James Potter, is now approaching its conclusion. Only one witness remains, Harry James Potter himself, who can neither be asked to elaborate his former position nor be posed any further questions. The court has decided that the course of justice is best served by a speedy resolution to this trial and has seen it fit to deny the Defense from introducing new witnesses and evidence. The Defense shall agree and refrain from putting forward a motion of Mistrial, only if it is granted a certain consideration." 

"You are not seriously considering going for Mistrial, Mr. Wiltschild?" Amelia Bones asked in a highly worried tone.

"I am," Wiltschild responded happily. "And you know it was a Mistrial. Former Minister Fudge did not allow the Defendant proper Counsel. The judges didn't see fit to rectify that. The Minister played with the emotions of the witnesses, twisted statements to construe completely different meanings, used the media to sell his case, and perhaps… even infiltrated the judging panel."

"HOW DARE YOU!" Amelia Bones shouted, flinging her hammer at the man, who instantly created a shield in front of him to harmlessly rebound the hammer to safety. The woman instantly cringed in shame. "I… I apologize, Mr. W-Wiltschild. I… I should have restrained my t-temper."

"You should have," Wiltschild agreed. "But no harm done. I didn't imply you personally, Madam Bones. As I recall Madam Umbridge and Alastor Moody were the other judges. But enough," he raised his hand in a placating way. "I will not go for Mistrial if you grant me this concession: I will end my case with the final witness and my closing argument, following which the court will give its decision. This is as per your schedule. However, I request the court to grant me ten minutes after that. Just ten minutes… to say and show what I want. Is that acceptable?"

"I… I suppose so," Amelia Bones said hesitatingly, still flustered by her momentary lack of control. But she frowned when Alan Wiltschild suddenly smiled. The implications of ten minutes of unrestrained speech given to the charismatic and eloquent former Minister could spell havoc to the Ministry, and especially her own Department.

"The final witness is Harry James Potter, the Defendant. It has been already established Mr. Potter is immune to Veritaserum, hence the lengthy trial."

"Name and occupation."

"Harry James Potter, student."

"Student, where?"

"Hogwarts."

"Which year?"

"(Angrily) Sixth."

"Where were you on the morning of the First."

"I was in my room. I woke up. I brushed my teeth. I…"

"(Court's reprimand) I was in the Great Hall. It was as Hermione said."

"And Mr. Weasley's version of your threat?"

"What about it?"

"Did you threaten your friends about Mrs. Fleur Weasley?"

"I told them to stop bothering her."

"Did you ever have a physical relationship with the deceased Fleur Weasley?"

"NO! I NEVER! You (Censored)."

"Have you ever desired a physical relationship with Fleur Weasley?"

"NO!"

"Let the record indicate that Harry James Potter claims to be immune to the charm of a Veela, a feat wizards older and cleverer than him are incapable of."

"Did you cast a Killing Curse on the morning of the First?"

"(Witness remains silent)."

"Did you, or did you not, cast a Killing Curse on the morning of the First?"

"Yes, but it was…"

"(Interrupting) Did you cast the curse that killed William Weasley?"

"(Witness remains silent)."

"Did you cast the curse that killed William Weasley?"

"Yes but it isn't like you… (Chaos in the courtroom, spectators riot, witness silenced)."

"I rest my case."

Alan Witlschild walked from one end of the courtroom to the other, aware of the ominous and sad glares being thrown his way. He didn't care. Not anymore. Proving Harry Potter's innocence in that court of justice was no longer his aim. 

There were to be no additional questions to this witness and Alan Witlschild's case was over. He only had his final closing argument left. And he meant to make the most of it.

"In this very chamber, a court was held fifteen years ago that condemned Harry James Potter to fifteen years in Azkaban and the Dementor's Kiss."

"That court was willing to believe a boy is capable of overcoming the effects of Veritaserum and yet doubted his resistance to the charm of a Veela."

"That court was willing to force a boy to prove his innocence without due legal representation, while the Minister of Magic himself was the prosecutor."

"That court was willing to believe a boy is capable of acting completely contrary to his nature and murder three friends based on flimsy circumstantial evidence."

"That court did not question the lack of a proper investigation and allowed the case to be tried by the media."

"That court did not question the complexities that I have raised and allowed the entire Wizarding society to wage its war against a boy whose life was never allowed to be his."

"That court did not question the motives of Albus Dumbledore in allowing a student to face such ordeals as he has so proclaimed."

"That court did not question the motives of Harry James Potter for committing the crimes he was accused of."

"That court did not prove Harry James Potter killed Fleur Weasley or Nymphadora Tonks."

"That court did not prove Harry James Potter killed William Weasley beyond all reasonable doubt."

"That court," he spat out in disgust. "That court did not give Harry James Potter a free and fair trial."

"What will this court do?" 

He glanced at each judge searchingly and walked back to his seat. He gazed dispassionately at the coldness with which the three judges deliberated. After fifteen minutes of silence, Amelia Bones banged her hammer.

"Your efforts are worthy of much praise. You have single-handedly shown much of what was wrong in the last trial, and I appreciate your intentions. But," she said ominously. "You haven't proven Harry Potter's innocence completely. His response to Prosecutor Fudge's final question was more damaging than all the complexities you showed. However, in the light of new evidence, this court makes the following ruling."

"On all counts of murder of the deceased Fleur Weasley, this court finds Harry James Potter… not guilty."

"On all counts of murder of the deceased Nymphadora Tonks, this court finds Harry James Potter… not guilty."

"On all counts of murder of the deceased William Weasley, this court finds Harry James Potter… guilty."

"The punishment would have been reduced to five years of imprisonment in Azkaban followed by the Dementor's Kiss. For ten years of additional imprisonment, this court makes a formal posthumous apology to Mr. Potter," so saying, she picked up Augusta Longbottom's hammer and rose it, "Court Dis…"

"Excuse me, Madam Bones," Wiltschild said angrily. "You have forgotten my ten minutes."

"Oh all right," Amelia Bones shook her head in frustration. "Go on ahead."

He got up again and walked to the empty space between the panel of judges and the spectators. He gazed unflinchingly at the coldness with which he was being received.

"This court finds Harry James Potter guilty," he said quietly but his voice carried to all those present. "And I have nothing further to say to this court. In this retrial where Harry Potter was found innocent of two murders out of three, the Defense was not allowed to introduce any new witnesses. Who knows how the result might have changed if the Defense was given greater latitude, as promised by Judge Flitwick at the beginning… But I admit now, I had no witnesses. No, none at all. I merely wished to see the court's desire for justice… whether things had truly changed… whether all these new Wizengamot rulings actually amounted to anything… and I deem the changes unsatisfactory… I decry the Ministry of Magic and the Legal System of Magical Britain as worthy of utter contempt." 

He walked from one end to the other, removing a vial from within his robes. "The evidence I have is of a nature not admissible in a court of law and will never be acceptable in proving Harry Potter's innocence. The trial of Harry Potter is over and a guilty verdict passed. However, despite what the court has ruled, it is my duty to allow History to make its own judgment. To change the verdict of this court is no longer my aim, now that the punishment has been carried out. I only seek to make you, the people who would condemn Harry Potter, think… think, how you threw an innocent boy to the worst fate imaginable. I hope after today, you wake up in the morning and are unable to face the mirror, seeing yourself as Harry Potter once did. I hope the curses you screamed at him ring in your ears until your very last breath." 

"I will now show you what truly transpired that day. You, who claimed to love Harry Potter as a brother, sister, friend, lover, father, mother, friend, uncle, grandfather… I decry you! I decry you all!" 

Walking back to his seat, he removed a Pensieve from the package he had brought and placed the vial inside. Then he cast a charm at the Pensieve, and drawing a beam of colors and light out of the basin of memories, he flicked it at the floor in front of him.

It was as if the contents of the memory were being made visible outside the Pensieve. Shadowy forms flickered and nearly everyone gasped when the scene shifted to that of the Hogwarts Great Hall. Alan Wiltschild nodded and walked to his seat. He was glad to notice that Ginny Weasley had moved forward and was by his side. He put an arm around her. They had both seen the memory the previous night, and cried many tears together.

-------

"Leave it, Ginny!" Harry said loudly. "Just leave it!"

"Harry?" the young redhead asked nervously.

"Your family was more than willing to take me in, then why not Fleur? What wrong did she do? The poor girl is in a new country, far away from everyone she's known all her life. She's come here to be part of your family, to become a Weasley, and all you do is find fault with her accent and the way she talks! Where is all that Weasley affection that was given to me in such great abundance? Was it all because of this scar of my head?" he snapped and hardly noticed the redhead recoil in horror.

"Do you know how it feels to be unloved by people you consider family? No, you don't!" He pushed Ginny aside and turned his back to her. 

Without turning, he spat out, "How are you any different from the Dursleys?" and walked away, disregarding Ron's angry comments about not hurting his sister or Ginny's heartfelt sobs. "At least the Dursleys leave me alone these days. Maybe you should do that to her."

He walked angrily outside the Castle, despite the snowstorm, and made towards Hagrid's cottage, when a red light in the distance caught his attention. Taking his wand out, Harry ran towards the site of activity and balked in horror. 

The first thing he saw was the limp and apparently stunned form of Bill Weasley. The next thing he saw rose bile up his stomach. Fleur Weasley was struggling on the ground, screaming soundlessly under a silencing charm, as the short and ugly figure of Peter Pettigrew ravaged her mercilessly. 

"YOU!" Harry shouted, immediately grabbing Pettigrew's attention. "Stupefy!" he yelled, sending a jet of red light towards the rapist, who jumped up. The Stunner hit Fleur instead. Harry shook his head in disgust and dodged a Killing Curse from the Death Eater.

"You have gone too far this time, Wormtail!" Harry yelled angrily. "Sectumsempra!" the curse missed its mark and Pettigrew rolled over. "Rennervate!" he pointed to Bill and "Diffindo!" at Pettigrew.

Groggily, Bill got up and looking around, ran straight to Fleur as Harry dodged another Killing Curse. 

Pausing for a moment, Harry gathered all his emotions and coldly, pointed his wand at Pettigrew, who had fallen down, "Avada Kedavra!" just as Pettigrew whispered, "Accio Weasley!"

Harry watched in horror, trying to fruitlessly recall his spell in despair, as an unsuspecting Bill was brought to intercede the Killing Curse cast by him at his foe. As the redhead crumpled to the ground, Harry's knees gave way. The pure horror and despair in his face was a sight none could behold. He didn't pay a second glance at Wormtail, who changed into a rat and disappeared instantly.

Instead, he removed a stone from his pocket and desperately yelled, "You can't die! You can't die! Come back, Bill! Please come back! I want you to come back!" a white mist went from the stone towards the limp form of William Weasley and a shadow rose from the corpse.

The shadowy form of Bill had a mask of deathly despair and gloom. It raised his head to Harry and said, "Let me go."

"You can't die!" Harry shouted despairingly.

"I have died, Harry. You must let me go."

"NO!" Harry said, shaking his head violently. "No! No! Come back, Bill! Please come back! I will bring you back. I will…"

"You will condemn me to a state of emptiness. A state of unliving among those I once loved while I am dead. You would make me linger when I desire to pass. Every moment I spend here is more painful than anything I have ever felt. Do you know why? It is because I am unable to feel at all. I can't feel the breeze brush past my face, the feel of the earth beneath my feet," then gazing at the Stunned Fleur, "or feel the love I once had for my wife. I remember but I can't feel. You would condemn me to such a life. Why, Harry?"

Understanding dawned upon the boy and dejectedly, he lowered the hand in which he held the stone. "I'm so sorry. You gave me no choice. I'm sorry it came to this, Bill." Then he raised his hand again, determination shining in his face.

Bill smiled, but his tone didn't change. "Take care of Fleur, will you?"

"She is no longer your concern," Harry said, just as a scream emerged from the bushes and Nymphadora Tonks fainted on seeing the apparition of Bill. Harry rushed to her, trying to locate the mirror to contact Remus Lupin and gave a frustrated scream when he found the mirror broken. Sighing, he turned to Bill with tears streaming from his face. "Then go, Bill. You were a brother to me in every way. I know this won't change a thing but I'm truly sorry I killed you. Go," his eyes were empty and devoid of all emotion when he said that.

Before Bill could say anything, the stone glimmered again and the apparition vanished. Harry sunk to the ground. For several minutes he said nothing, then he saw the big form of Hagrid come towards him. Reality was yet to strike him, and all he could think was that he had just killed Bill Weasley. "I killed him," he said to Hagrid in a desperate bid for the half-giant to deny his guilt. "I killed him." 

Hagrid came to Harry, looked around in disbelief, and said, "Come with me, 'Arry. I'll take yeh ter Dumbledore."

"I killed him," he repeated. "I killed him."

-------

Alan Wiltschild slowly walked out of the courtroom that had frozen with that utterance from the boy they had so relentlessly condemned. Harry Potter's words threatened to resound forever, _'__I killed him.__'_

He didn't linger. He didn't wait. He had gently parted from Ginny Weasley and walked towards the door. Nobody had noticed his movement, such was the effect of Harry Potter's final heartfelt words, _'__I killed him.__'_

Alan Wiltschild left the courtroom and walked out of the Ministry building. He wouldn't be returning there again. He was done with being Minister, he was done with being a lawyer for an executed convict. But he would forever remain the gadfly that stung Britain out of its stupor. Waiting for him were two people, Jimmy and Billy, the guards from Azkaban. Both were smiling brightly.

"You sent me the memory and the Pensieve," Wiltschild observed quietly, with sudden realization. On getting no response, he sighed. "The court found him guilty. The trial is over."

To his surprise, both guards kept on smiling. The one on the right, Jimmy, looked at Wiltschild seriously and said, "The trial of Harry Potter is over. The trial of those that condemned him will now begin. It is time for the Balance to return."

\/p


	5. AN: Sequels and Unanswered Questions

**Author's Note**

Hi. Sorry for adding this as an extra chapter, but this is the most effective way of answering the pm's I've been receiving to clarify the following things:

1. How did Tonks and Fleur die?

2. What does Harry mean by 'The Balance'?

3. Who is the 'she' Percy mentioned to believe in Harry Potter's innocence?

4. More about Alan Wiltschild, who is not randomly dropped in.

As I mentioned in an Author's Note earlier, The Greatest Trial will be followed by a sequel(s) in which these questions are answered. At the same time, when I began the story I hadn't exactly decided on these specific issues, except for no 3. I left them open for interpretation but as I progressed, a clear idea formed in my head. This follow-up might not appeal to some of you as it will focus mostly around Alan Wiltschild. So I'll be posting it as a separate story.

Posting it as a separate story also allows me to answer the above questions in different ways and explore different possibilities, if I so choose to do.

Hope that answers your questions and sorry to those who wanted more specific answers from me.


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